Fill in the Blanks: Data Voids in Philippine Hazard Maps

Communities are exposed to natural hazards such as flooding and landslides while relevant data collection and risk assessments are insufficient. If nothing is done then communities remain vulnerable to disasters. The Philippines has moved towards accurate mapping of hazards through multi-year programs (DREAM, NOAH, Phil-LiDAR) utilizing advanced surveying equipment and geoscience expertise. While the developed maps successfully provided detailed spatial information to avert disasters, the destructive Naga landslide showed gaps in our hazard information systems—people data. Sparse victim data slowed down search, rescue, and retrieval (SRR) as responders had no location information of buried houses. In the midst of a climate emergency, this chapter asserts that hazard exposure maps combined with demographic data facilitate better planning and improve disaster response and recovery. Policymakers must allocate funds for climate and disaster risk assessments and land use planning. For this purpose, they must provide plantilla items in LGUs and SUCs, ensure capacity-building, and encourage local collaborations for data collection.